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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24313573">Recluse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ireallydowritelikeimrunningoutoftime/pseuds/ireallydowritelikeimrunningoutoftime'>ireallydowritelikeimrunningoutoftime</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hamilton - Miranda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aaron is lonely, Alexander Hamilton is George Washington's Adopted Son, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bonding, Burr Angst, Friendship, Hamilsquad, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Loneliness, One Shot, Poor Aaron Burr, idk i was bored so i wrote this in like an hour instead of being productive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:54:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,621</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24313573</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ireallydowritelikeimrunningoutoftime/pseuds/ireallydowritelikeimrunningoutoftime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron Burr didn't need anyone. He never had. But maybe, just maybe, Hamilton can show him that he doesn't need to be alone.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Burr &amp; Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr &amp; Alexander Hamilton &amp; John Laurens &amp; Lafayette &amp; Hercules Mulligan, Alexander Hamilton &amp; John Laurens &amp; Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette &amp; Hercules Mulligan, Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Recluse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aaron Burr didn't need anyone. He never had. He'd been alone all his life, and never longed for the company of another. He was happiest in libraries, where he could read in peace, undisturbed by his fellow peers, especially extremely talkative students who just couldn't seem to leave him alone, no matter how many times he requested them to. So naturally, he was irritated when Hamilton barged into the library, closely followed by his annoying friends. His sudden entrance startled Aaron, whose book went flying into the air. He grabbed it, scowling at the four culprits.</p><p>"Sorry, Aaron," Hamilton said, not sounding very apologetic. He plopped down on the chair next to Burr, gesturing to his friends, who spread out around him.</p><p>"What do you want, Alexander?" Burr asked, exasperated, his good spirits rapidly going down the drain.</p><p>"You looked lonely," Hamilton replied, swinging his legs as though he hadn't a care in the world. Burr bit back a retort. "Why are you spending free period alone, anyway? You can study with us, you know."</p><p>"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass. Now please let me be."</p><p>"You're always by yourself, sometimes I even wonder if you ever talk to people. Don't you have friends? Besides us, I mean." Burr decided against telling him that he didn't consider his squad as friends.</p><p>"I don't need friends. I'm fine on my own." This was clearly the wrong thing to say, as Hamilton snorted in disbelief.</p><p>"You can't mean that!" When Burr didn't reply, he frowned, pressing him further. "Nobody <i>likes<i> being lonely!"</i></i></p><p>
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</p><p>"I'm not lonely. I'm never lonely." Maybe, Burr thought, he had been lonely all his life, and never knowing anything different, begun viewing his loneliness as normal. He pushed the thought aside. It was too late now, anyway. Nobody would want a recluse for a friend. Nobody, it seemed, short of this loudmouthed bother.</p><p>"You must be joking." This was one of Hamilton's friends. Burr searched for his name in his memory. "Mon ami, nobody likes being lonely." Lafayette, he remembered. The one who always had a baguette during lunch.</p><p>"You don't have to be alone all the time," another one chimed in, this time recognized by Burr as Laurens, Hamilton's boyfriend. He draped an arm around Hamilton, kissing his cheek. "I, for one, can't imagine not knowing you guys." He gestured to Lafayette and Mulligan, the other boy behind him. "Especially Alex." Hamilton grinned, and the two of them kissed again.</p><p>"Aw, John, thanks." He turned back to Burr. "Anyway, my point is that you're welcome to talk to us, if you ever feel like you need company."</p><p>"I'll remember that," Burr replied, returning to his book.</p><p>"One more thing." Burr groaned. "What's that?" Burr twisted backwards, then surveyed his surroundings to see what Hamilton was looking at, before realizing that he was pointing at his left cheek. Alarmed, he registered that he had a dark bruise in the center of it. Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan all stared at it, expressions of concern on their faces.</p><p>"Oh, that's just a bruise." He waved it off, praying that they wouldn't ask any more questions.</p><p>"Just a bruise?" Mulligan repeated, incredulous.</p><p>"Mon ami, that is not normal!"</p><p>"Aaron, bruises aren't supposed to look like that!" Laurens cried out. "Believe me, I know!" Only a hard blow could leave a mark that nasty!" Burr stared at his lap.</p><p>"Aaron," Hamilton asked seriously, "did someone hit you?"</p><p>"Does it matter?" he snapped, standing up abruptly. The last of his patience had flown out the window. "I don't need or want friends, and if having friends is this irksome, it's a wonder you enjoy it so much!" They gaped at him, stunned. Hamilton, for once, seemed to have been rendered speechless. "Now, if you excuse me, I believe my next class will begin shortly. I would be grateful if you wouldn't stalk me while I get my things." He walked out without looking back, ignoring the whispering behind him. He subconsciously lifted his hand to touch his cheek, wincing as his fingers brushed over it. He'd never thought of his uncle's discipline in the same way Hamilton and his friends had. Remembering the horrified looks on their faces, he sped up his pace, practically racing towards the locker. Before entering the classroom, however, he pulled his hoodie over his head, yanking the string tightly. If he didn't say a word during the rest of his classes that afternoon, none of his teachers noticed. Burr had never been one for participation. Fortunately, he didn't bump into Hamilton or his friends for the rest of the day. He even dared to hope that they had taken his words to heart and decided to leave him alone, but sure enough, it was only the next morning when they cornered him in the hallway.</p><p>"I know what you said," Hamilton said quickly before he could even open his mouth. "But we're worried about you, Aaron. Look, I talked to Dad about this, and he said-"</p><p>"Wait," Burr interrupted, "you told Mr. Washington about the bruise?" Washington wasn't just Hamilton's father, he was also his history professor.</p><p>"Aaron, I couldn't just let it pass!" Burr grit his teeth.</p><p>"For the last time, it's not a big deal. Would you mind moving aside? I would prefer not to be late to class."</p><p>"No, we won't let you go until you tell us why you can't stand the thought of not being lonely."</p><p>"I'm not lonely! I've just always been alone, and I'm used to it! There's a difference, Alexander!" He froze, realizing what he had just said. "Forget it. You're right, I was being stupid, I'm sorry for losing my temper at you."</p><p>"What do you mean, you've always been alone?" Hamilton pressed, frowning. "Don't you have a family? Or anyone you care about?"</p><p>"No," he said shortly. Telling them that much wouldn't hurt. "I'm an orphan, and my uncle's the only relation I have left. My parents died when I was two, so me and my sister moved in with our grandparents, but they died soon after. Then we moved in with our uncle, but Sarah ran away, so now it's just me. I tried to run away after she left, to find her, but they found me and brought me back." He shuddered at the memory. That night, he had received the worst beating he had ever gotten, his body thrown around like a sack. He still had some of the marks. Now that he had started talking, he couldn't seem to stop. It felt good to get out everything he had kept bottled up for so many years. "Since then, I've tried to run away twice more, and the last time I got pretty far, but after that I just gave up. I put all my energy into getting a scholarship, and it felt good to focus on something else. After a while, I grew used to the beatings, and even my uncle's wrath didn't hold the same threat. I had something to work forward to, and once I go to college I'll be free to leave home behind for good. Maybe I'll find Sarah. It would be nice to know what happened to her after she escaped." Having finished, he registered the words that had just come out of his mouth. His listeners looked shocked. For good reason, he thought, seeing that this was likely the most words he had ever spoken at once in his life.</p><p>"Aaron, that's- that's," Hamilton swallowed, grappling for the right words. "I'm sorry," he said at last. "I'm an orphan too, you know." Burr nodded. "My father left us when I was a kid. My brother, James, was separated from me after our mother died, and I haven't heard of him since. I moved in with my cousin, but he took his life. Before Washington adopted me, I was in the foster care system. Some of the homes I stayed in were abusive, but I was lucky enough to get out of my situation. Now I've got kind, caring parents, awesome friends and the best boyfriend I could ask for." He fist bumped Lafayette and Mulligan, and shared an affectionate smile with Laurens. Burr shook his head, never having realized how much he had in common with Hamilton.</p><p>"I used to be in an abusive household, too," Laurens added. "My father- he didn't exactly support me when I came out as gay. But Alex found out, and he helped me stand up for myself and report him. My mother and siblings didn't know about it, but they were horrified when they found out. We've been much happier since." Burr was taken aback by their stories, so openly shared. These were people who protected each other, stood up for one another, had each other's backs. Perhaps there was more to a friendship than he'd originally seen.</p><p>"But back to you," Hamilton cut in, "Aaron, we can't just stand by and let you stay with your uncle. You know that, right?" Burr nodded, sighing.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Good. Would you feel comfortable telling Dad everything you told us? We need a trustworthy adult to know what's going on." Burr nodded again, marveling at the "we". "Cool, I'll ask him to stick around after school." He glanced at his watch. "Crud, we're late for class. C'mon, let's go!" They sprinted down the hallway together, each to their various classes, and for the first time in a long time, Aaron Burr felt truly happy. Perhaps, he reflected, there was something more to him than just a recluse. Whatever it was, he was determined to find out. But this time, he didn't have to do it alone.</p>
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